


you can be proud with me (i just want to make you happy)

by MoraMew



Series: Writing prompt warm-ups [9]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Career Ending Injuries, Comfort, Crushes, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, M/M, Pining, Slice of Life, Walking Canes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:34:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24877003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoraMew/pseuds/MoraMew
Summary: “Daichan,” Oikawa whines, loud enough that Daichi knows he’s covering up some true distress, “today has been awful! Tell me you brought ice cream too!”Daichi holds up the bag clutched in his other hand and he nods- shoulders relaxing when Oikawa lets out a tiny, greedy, pleased noise.
Relationships: Oikawa Tooru & Sawamura Daichi, Oikawa Tooru/Sawamura Daichi
Series: Writing prompt warm-ups [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/913677
Comments: 16
Kudos: 110





	you can be proud with me (i just want to make you happy)

**Author's Note:**

> i used a random word generator for a prompt and i got "cane" from it
> 
> it immediately remind me of an oidai au a friend and i have. this is not from it but is rather an au of it- something much softer than we had mused about

The moment that Daichi knows that Oikawa finally trusts him is when he knocks on his neighbor’s door and is greeted by an Oikawa with messy hair, tired eyes, too big clothes, and a cane clutched tight in his hand.   
  
Daichi had always figured that Oikawa needed a cane, but he had never asked him about it, never saw it around the apartment when he came over for a visit.   
  
It’s a simple thing- plain black with gold accents. Oikawa clutches the grip as if he wishes he could throttle it out of his life and existence and that makes Daichi sad.   
  
He ignores that feeling, though, and he doesn’t spend more than a second paying attention to the cane.   
  
He knows looking at it will drive Oikawa to anger and frustration and Daichi dearly, truly just wants to make Oikawa happy- especially after such a long day.   
  
So instead of bringing up the previously forbidden object, Daichi just offers a smile instead and raises up a plastic bag filled with takeout.   
  
“Chinese and documentaries?” he asks, smile holding even when something vulnerable rises in brown eyes only to be killed off with a blink and pride.   
  
Oikawa blinks again and then he nods, stepping back from the doorway and fixing a trademark pout onto his tired (and yet somehow still so beautiful) face.   
  
“Daichan,” Oikawa whines, loud enough that Daichi knows he’s covering up some true distress, “today has been awful! Tell me you brought ice cream too!”   
  
Daichi holds up the bag clutched in his other hand and he nods- shoulders relaxing when Oikawa lets out a tiny, greedy, pleased noise.   
  
Good. He’s already helping Oikawa.   
  
Grabby hands are made his way, but Daichi huffs and he shakes his head. He smiles at Oikawa and he steps into the apartment, tries not to frown at how dark it is inside. The vase that is normally sitting on the windowsill is gone and Daichi wonders, uneasily, if it breaking had been the noise he had heard earlier after Oikawa had returned home.   
  
He knows that PT hurts Oikawa in more ways than one. He hates that he can’t take that pain from him.   
  
At least, though, he can soothe it. Or. Try to soothe it.   
  
Daichi takes a breath and he nudges Oikawa to the couch lightly before heading toward the kitchen.   
  
“Find us something to watch,” he instructs over his shoulder.   
  
He’s careful to keep his back to Oikawa as he puts the ice cream in the freezer and plates the food. He’s learned over the year that the two of them have been neighbors- and over the five months that they have progressed into friends- that pride fills Oikawa more than most. He’s made the mistake of lingering looks at a ruined knee, offers of help when Oikawa has been too hurt to move. He’s been screamed over those mistakes before, shoved out of the apartment and banished to his own just to hear sobs leak through their shared, thing walls. Daichi knows how to handle things now in the best way to spare his friend as well as himself.   
  
So he keeps his back to Oikawa until he hears him flop onto the couch. He ignores the tiny, tiny grunt that sounds from the man and waits another few seconds before bringing food and a drink over to his neighbor. Daichi serves Oikawa first and then himself before taking his designated place on the couch.   
  
Oikawa is focused once Daichi joins him- lips pursed and eyes scanning the tv as he scrolls through Netflix. After a moment, Oikawa chooses Cosmos and Daichi ends up smiling quietly to himself as the intro plays.   
  
He’s always been more of an animal documentary person himself, but _Cosmos_ is something he is fond of- if only because it is the reason the two of them found an excuse to spend time with each other.   
  
Daichi smiles and he takes a bite of food, watches out of the corner of his eye as Oikawa rubs his knee absently before digging in himself. The cane is resting against the couch on Oikawa’s side and Daichi finds himself wanting to ask or say something about it, but he ignores that and focuses on the food.   
  
“Daichan, you’re a lifesaver,” Oikawa mumbles through a big bite of noodles. “This is just what I needed.”   
  
“Glad I could help,” Daichi tells him and is truthful with it.   
  
There’s quiet for a moment- just the tv sounding through the living room- and Daichi doesn’t think to fill it, to push for more than what Oikawa wants to talk about. They watch the documentary and Daichi watches Oikawa slowly relax in his corner of the couch, watches as teeth bite into a bottom lip at random intervals and brown eyes unfocus on the documentary and onto far off thoughts instead.   
  
Daichi lets Oikawa be and only bothers him to take his empty plate to the sink.   
  
When he sits back down on the couch, Oikawa leans against him and that is nice.   
  
Very nice, even.   
  
Daichi loosely wraps his arm around Oikawa and the tired man lets out a soft noise, shuffles just a little bit so he’s more comfortable. Daichi catches the wince on Oikawa’s face when a movement ends up twinging some pain and he hates that, wants to reach down and thumb across a thin cheek, soothe the discomfort away.   
  
It’s not his place, though, and he can’t do that even if the impulse is strong- they’re friends now, close, but there are still some things out of Daichi’s reach.   
  
Out of instinct, Daichi’s eyes flit to the cane and he wonders just how meaningful its appearance really is.   
  
He knows that it means trust. He knows that it means Oikawa is at a point where he can show Daichi some of his vulnerability. He does  _ not  _ know what it means beyond that, though, and he does not know just how far along the path of friendship they have progressed or if, even, they’ve turned onto something different instead.   
  
It feels...selfish, a little, thinking of that. Oikawa has had a hard day and, yes, he’s shown his trust in Daichi but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything and, really, Daichi should be focusing more on what they have right now instead of what he’s been quietly wanting over the last month or so.   
  
This is fine. This is nice. They’re friends and he likes this- likes coming over with food and the intention to quietly watch some documentary with his neighbor; likes having Oikawa lean against him and likes breathing in the scent of coconut shampoo; likes that Oikawa has decided to trust him more and likes that they can exist peacefully in the moment.   
  
He likes that Oikawa can lean on him and he hopes, truly, that his presence is one of comfort to his friend and neighbor.   
  
Daichi holds Oikawa a bit more firmly and long fingers curl into the fabric of his hoodie, shoulders move with a deep breath.   
  
They sit quietly with each other and then- suddenly and softly- there is a break in the silence.   
  
“...I fell in PT today.”   
  
Daichi blinks, and then blinks again. His inhale comes in quiet and deep at the sudden confession and it takes all of his willpower not to look over at Oikawa.   
  
He...doesn’t know how to talk about this. What he should say, how he should act. He knows how volatile Oikawa’s emotions can be regarding his injury. He knows how quick Oikawa can be to lash out in shame and anger when it’s brought into focus. Daichi has done him the courtesy of quietly ignoring it for the sake of his pride and now, with this single statement, he is rendered clueless and vaguely panicked over how to proceed.   
  
He doesn’t want Oikawa to get upset but, maybe, that’s what he needs?   
  
Or, possibly, it’s something he won’t rage over- Oikawa _is_ the one to offer it up and Daichi should say something, probably.   
  
Daichi thinks, almost a little frantic, and he settles on-   
  
“But you got back up.”   
  
It comes out calm- much calmer than Daichi feels. A tiny noise leaves Oikawa and the fingers burrowed in Daichi’s hoodie clutch tighter, twist the fabric as Oikawa nods against him.   
  
Daichi can hear Oikawa audibly swallow and his heart pounds in uncertainty over his choice of words.   
  
“I did,” Oikawa whispers before Daichi can panic too much. “I...I got back up. And I...finished. They said I didn’t have to, but I wanted…” Another swallow. “I wanted to finish. I wanted to show them I could.”   
  
Daichi breathes in deep at that and he closes his eyes for a moment, feels a rush of warm pride flow through him.   
  
Oikawa is strong- a car accident and a surgery gone wrong won’t take his pride or determination away.   
  
Daichi, again, is at a loss of words. He rubs Oikawa’s shoulder quietly for a moment and his eyes wander over to the cane. He takes it in- plain and simple and unobstructive but so obviously a source of pain for Oikawa- and he hesitates, looks away from it and down to the fluffy mess that is his neighbor’s hair.   
  
“...is that why you needed the cane today?” Daichi asks, nervous of the reaction but still managing to keep his voice stable, calm.   
  
Oikawa doesn’t say or do anything for a moment and Daichi grimaces internally in fear of a mess up. A small nod against him soothes that worry, though, and he relaxes as a long, tired sigh leaves the man curled up against him.   
  
“...yeah,” Oikawa admits, so very quietly. “They...they wanted me to use a walker, but I told them no.”   
  
The thought of Oikawa with a walker has Daichi wincing and he tries to push the thought away, holds Oikawa a little bit closer with the effort.   
  
“I don’t blame you,” Daichi tells him, voice dipping into a mutter. He takes a breath to right himself to something more casual again and he closes his eyes with a hum. “At least the cane is fashionable.”   
  
Quiet and Daichi is left again wondering if he’s fucked up. It stretches on far longer than before and he opens his mouth to apologize, is struck silent when there’s a small, watery snort let out against his chest.   
  
“Daichan, what do you know about fashion?” Oikawa asks, voice not cruel like he had been fearing but tiredly teasing instead. “It’s just a plain thing. Boring.”   
  
“...it does need some flair,” Daichi teases right back, unthinking in his relief. “You should decorate it.”   
  
Oikawa’s head lifts up and Daichi is suddenly graced with the sight of wet, bright eyes and vulnerable, twitching lips.   
  
He wants to kiss Oikawa then, but that would be selfish and Daichi is trying very hard not to be selfish with Oikawa.   
  
“...I have planetary stickers,” Oikawa mumbles. “Holographic stars too.”   
  
It’s not a surprise, but Daichi’s brow still rises at the statement. He definitely, absolutely did not expect Oikawa to react so... _ well _ .   
  
It makes Daichi feel very tender and very warm and maybe just a bit sad in some far off way, too.   
  
“Should we get them?” Daichi asks, keeping his voice light.   
  
Oikawa blinks and his eyes roam over Daichi’s face- searching and open and maybe a bit uncertain, afraid. Daichi thinks that he is looking for pity, but he is sure that Oikawa will not find it on him.   
  
Daichi does not pity Oikawa- he never has.   
  
“...maybe later,” Oikawa whispers. His head sinks back down to Daichi’s chest and Daichi hums, rubs Oikawa’s shoulder lightly. “We need ice cream first.”   
  
“Ice cream does sound good,” Daichi tells him. He rubs Oikawa’s shoulder again and runs his gaze over his neighbor, feels a quiet content ripple through him that he did not expect from the night. “Want me to make you a bowl?”   
  
Oikawa shakes his head and his fingers tighten in Daichi’s hoodie again before flexing and relaxing back down to curl loosely into the fabric.   
  
“...later,” Oikawa mumbles- soft and tired but without hurt or upset. “...let’s just rest like this for now.”   
  
Daichi hums and he nods, resists the urge to put his lips to his neighbor’s hair.   
  
“Okay, Tooru,” he says. “Okay.”   
  
There is a soft noise from Oikawa, but nothing else. The two of them turn their attention to television and they watch as old stars collapse and new ones form.


End file.
